I’m an organizer, detailer, arranger, coordinator at heart. My children, at times, (lovingly?) refer to me as “assertively helpful”. I love new projects; a challenging scenario; figuring out a more efficient way to do something. It is likely why I love to do what I do — I’m a Professional Financial Planner for Pete’s sake!

I don’t plan which stocks or bonds to buy, when to sell, or determine what countries or currencies present the best opportunities, that’s what Portfolio Managers are for. What I do, however, is find the best people in the business to do that for you. I help you create a plan: for your children’s education; for managing your debt; for your retirement; for your estate. It isn’t having the money that’s the goal, it’s what the money can do for you, and your family.

We have some great new software available to help clarify your plans, if we haven’t discussed this yet, let me know you’re interested, and I’ll be in touch to start the process.

Some things, however, don’t go exactly as planned. Some things are beyond our control.

The current pandemic has taught each of us that in some way. We’ve all had to adapt to a constantly changing landscape of limitations and restrictions. Christmas 2020 will look quite different for a lot of us.

I’ve always shopped through the year (I am a planner after all!) but this year I was even more mindful of getting things done early. Most years in the fall, we visit our kids and grandkids in Alberta, celebrating an early Christmas with them before we head home. We knew this was unlikely to happen this year and so the logistics of how to get parcels halfway across the country added an increased need for planning. Not sending parcels to my grandkids wasn’t an option, finding the best way to send them was.

I love the Christmas morning chaos with the littles and the groggy early morning excitement (enhanced by a special Christmas morning coffee) as big eyes light up at the sight of another successful Santa visit. Our youngest son and his son were planning on spending Christmas with us in NS for the first time ever. With the new restrictions in PEI, that plan has recently changed too. This year, we’ll almost certainly be watching the Christmas morning magic through a phone or tablet, grateful at least that our technology allows us this solace.

So, our plans have changed, but like all good plans, we have other scenarios we can choose from. Like the financial planning you and I do together, we start the process from where we are now, and adapt and adjust our plans as things evolve.

A very Merry Christmas from our house to yours. May whatever you have planned be possible on some scale and bring you the comfort and joy of the season’s true meaning.

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